Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a toner replenishing portion in which toner is replenished from a toner bottle detachably mounted thereon.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus including a toner replenishing portion in which toner is replenished from a toner bottle, there is known a configuration in which an openable/closable shutter disposed in a toner bottle is opened when the toner bottle is inserted into a body of the image forming apparatus (see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/196199 A1).
In such a configuration, shipment with the toner bottle packaged together in the body is under review, aiming at reducing a packing size of the body or reducing a packing material of the toner bottle.
However, in the configuration of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/196199 A1, when the toner bottle is packaged together in the body, the shutter is opened when the toner bottle is mounted on the body. Therefore, toner is replenished to the toner replenishing portion from the toner bottle by vibration during transport, which may cause toner scattering.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/158071 A1 discloses a configuration aiming at packaging a development device together in the body of the image forming apparatus at the time of shipment. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/158071 A1 discloses a configuration in which a sealing member connected to a toner conveying portion driven at the time of body motion start is installed separately from the shutter at a toner replenishing inlet to prevent toner leakage from the development device inlet or toner replenishment during transport.
However, the configuration of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/158071 A1 has a problem in that since the sealing member is provided separately from the shutter in a connecting portion between the development device and the body, the sealing structure of the connecting portion becomes complicated, the size is increased, and the sealing configuration is increased, thus increasing the probability of toner leakage.